Parade Comes From Preparing and Showing
A parade is a public procession. The Spanish and French roots mean to prepare, stop and display.
A parade is a public procession or display. The word came through French from Spanish *parada*, a stopping or halt, from a verb meaning to prepare or halt. Military usage supplies the parade ground and *parade rest*, and the phrase *rain on someone's parade* comes from the vulnerability of any outdoor procession to weather.
- A public procession. *A victory parade.*
- A display. *A parade of talent.*
- To march in procession. *They paraded through town.*
- Rain on someone's parade — spoil their plans. *Do not rain on my parade.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | parade | A street parade. |
| Plural | parades | Annual parades. |
| Verb | parade | Parade the colours. |
| Compound | parade ground | The parade ground. |
| Related | prepare | Prepare the troops. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The regiment paraded at dawn.Military.
- A parade of shops.British: a row of them.
- Do not rain on my parade.Do not spoil this.
Kinds of parade
- Military parade — formal marching display
- Carnival parade — a festive procession
- Identity parade — the British term for a police lineup
- Parade of shops — a row of shops, in British usage
- Parade rest — a formal standing position
From French *parade*, from Spanish *parada*, a halt or display, from *parar*, to halt or prepare, from Latin *parare*.
Why does *parade* also mean a row of shops?
From the sense of things displayed in line. It is a British usage, common in twentieth-century suburban development.
Are parade and prepare related?
Yes. Both go back to Latin *parare*, meaning to make ready.